


Through the Years

by Dancey_Reagan



Category: Peaky Blinders (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, Pre-Canon, Prequel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-07
Updated: 2019-07-07
Packaged: 2020-06-24 08:22:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19719859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dancey_Reagan/pseuds/Dancey_Reagan
Summary: Moments between John and Martha Shelby told unsequntially.





	Through the Years

**Author's Note:**

> This is Un beta’d sorry if there are any mistakes.

When He was 22. 

He sat in the cold mud under a tent. Snoring soldiers all around him. Flashlight in his right hand, letter in his left. He wasn’t sure if the blur in his vision was from tears or the rain. “You have a healthy baby boy.” Written in Ada’s writing. But two sentences later his entire world shattered. “There were complications. there was nothing we could do. “I'm sorry John, but she’s gone” 

When He was 13.  
John was leaning against the chain link fence at the back of the school yard waiting for Ada and a couple others. He had been waiting all day for this moment. He stole a cigarette and matches from Tommy. He leaned against the fence one leg bent back trying his best at forced nonchalance. He looked around as he pulled out the cigarette and rolled it between his thumb and index finger before placing it in his mouth. “This is it” he thought as he pulled out the matchbook striking his first match. Hands shaking he dropped the cigarette in the dirt. “Fuck!” He whisper shouted as he rubbed his burnt fingers on his pants. Stopping to look around and make sure no one saw his blunder John picked up the cigarette and tried again. Successfully lighting up, his throat and chest warmed with the smoke. “What are you doing?” John jumped and turned towards the voice. It was Martha, the daughter of a family friend and Ada’s buddy. “What’s it look like I'm doing?”

“It looks like you’re smoking. But you don't smoke.” She stated confused. 

“well I’m not riding a bike over here.” He replied blowing smoke in her direction. She frowned, and waved her hand in an attempt to get the smoke out of her face. “You stink” was all she said before she walked over to where Ada was approaching and leaving John to think of an insult he’d never get to use. 

“John lets go!” Ada shouted over her shoulder and John dropped his cigarette joined his group of friends for their walk home from school. 

When he was 18.  
John sat up in bed of the Shelby Family home with his two year old lying fast asleep on Martha’s side. He watched as Martha sat rocking their newborn baby boy, George. Her hair was messy, and she had a stain on her night gown from when Katie thought it was a great idea to throw her chicken at her mother during dinner time. John had to give little Finn a dirty look to get him to stop from laughing. John couldn't believe this was his life. Here he was 18, already married two years, with two children. He didn't know how he was going to take care of them. He’d quit school the previous year to work in the betting shop, but it wasn’t enough and Martha helped in the shop when she could, but having just given birth a week prior she was forbidden from Polly. Martha looked up from where she was staring at their son nestled against her, and raised an eyebrow at john. “Why are you staring at me Johnny? Everything alright?” 

“Yeah of course, just love you is all.” 

when he was 14.  
Martha was standing against the chain link at the back of the school waiting to meet her friends. She was holding a stack of books in her hands with a far off look on her face. John couldn’t help but wonder what she was thinking about. Was she upset? But before he could finish his thought he saw the school bully walk over to Martha and slap the books from her hands. Used to his antics, Martha just sighed and bent to pick them up. John was ready to run over and help, when the bully lifted up the back of Martha’s dress. She immediately stood and hit the asshole across the face with her book and kneed him in the crotch John stopped dead in his tracks, mouth gaped open in awe. This must be what love truly feels like. 

When he was 20  
When he stood on the platform of the train station. A heavily pregnant Martha crying in his arms. Katie and George chasing a toddling Hazel around their parents' legs. Despite the sound of his children's laughter wafting up into his ears he couldn’t help but feel like the world was caving in on him. 

“I’ll be alright Martha, really”. 

He was trying to be brave, to be a man about this. The words “what would Tommy do?” playing like a broken record in his mind. What if he doesn’t make it back? The last thing he wants Martha to remember is him crying on the runway like a baby. No, he can't have that, he’ll be strong for her, and for his children. His fear and tears are reserved for late nights when the house is quiet and everyone is sleeping.

“How do you know that?” Martha questioned, tears on the brink of spilling over the edge. 

“I just know. Well, actually, aunt Pol read my leaves last night and she’s never wrong. Just don't tell her I said that.” John tried his best to lighten the mood. 

“Something doesn't feel right though Johnny. I got a bad feeling, like I’ll never see you again” 

“Shhh. You can't think like that Martha, You need to stay strong, if not for me, for them” he turned and gestured toward his wild bunch of kids who were weaving in and out of the crowd of people. Laughing and smiling like their father wasn't about to go off and possibly never come back. 

The roar of the train brought him back to life, John turned back Martha cupping her face in his hands gently, “you know that small pond? The one I took to you too before Katie was born? Where we fed the ducks and laid out on the grass? “

“You mean the place where the mama duck chased you around for getting to close her babies?” 

“Way to ruin the moment. But yeah.” John smiled and placed a quick but gentle kiss to her forehead. “When I come home, we’re gonna go back and have a proper wedding. Invite all of Small Heath. I want all of Birmingham to know how much I love you.”

**Author's Note:**

> DanceyReagan on tumblr. Slowly but surely moving my masterlist. Please leave feedback, but be kind.


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